Pet health: Keep kitty from being a picky eater

Good cat health care means finding the best pet insurance for your cat, researching what goes in your pet’s food dish, and ensuring your cat is getting the proper vitamins and nutrients. The second step is making sure they’re eating the proper amount.

One of the oldest documented cats in the U.S., Baby from Duluth, Minnesota, was allowed to eat what his owners ate. Baby lived to the reported age of 38 on a diet of steak, peas, olives, corn off the cob sans butter or salt, cheese, and some cat food for good measure.

Of course, vets may not recommend a diet of table scraps for housecats, but there might be something to be said about the variety in Baby’s diet.

As long as a cat isn’t overfed or given anything potentially harmful, a high-variety diet may help some cats stay excited about food, refrain from becoming picky eaters, and avoid pet health issues like allergies.

Remember: if a cat ever accidently ingests potentially toxic foods like grapes, raisins, tomatoes or onions, cat insurance will be your best friend, allowing you to go straight to the vet without worrying about the bottom line.

Some cat insurance companies also include wellness and routine care benefits in addition to accident and emergency benefits. For more information about cat and dog insurance, visit www.petsbest.com.

If you do have a picky cat, you’ll need to get him used to new foods slowly. Quickly changing from one food to another can cause cat illness symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and food refusal.

When changing a finicky cat from one food to another, plan on devoting one to two weeks to the process. Be sure to also include your vet in the process and consult her, should your cat display any odd behaviors.